Chapel Street hailed as Nation’s ‘Most Attractive Road’

Chapel Street has been recognised as the nation’s most attractive road.

The road which runs through both Salford and Manchester city centre, scooped the award for the Best Pedestrian Environment in this year’s Street Design Awards, following an extensive multi-million pound regeneration.

The awards organised by the Local Government News Magazine, rewarded Salford council for its innovative approach to urban design and regeneration.

The regeneration of Chapel Street began in 2009, after Salford City Council produced a plan to completely renovate the area.

£10m of funding, which came from The North West Development Agency and European Regional Development Fund, allowed the council to widen footpaths by eight metres, build raised platforms to allow heritage sites to stand out and install a new sign system to prepare Chapel Street for the upsurge in visitors it is set to receive over coming years.

A number of new blue-lighted pedestrian ‘supercrossings’ have also improved the accessibility of the newly renovated area.

Salford’s Assistant Mayor for Strategic Planning, Councillor Derek Antrobus, received the award on the council’s behalf.

He said: “This award is a tribute to the hard work of council officers in turning Chapel Street into a celebrated, welcoming boulevard.

“For many years it was a dilapidated eyesore. But, now, it is the most attractive road for pedestrians in Britain.”

The regeneration has attracted property developers to build in the area, three developments – Vimto Gardens, X1 Chapel Street and X1 Town Hall, are set to completed in the next few years and will boost both the student and residential population in Chapel Street significantly as the area continues to grow.

Chapel Street’s renovation is the first stage of a proposed £650m regeneration of the Salford Central Area, which aims to generate 11,000 jobs, 220,000sqm of commercial floorspace, 849 homes and 390 hotel rooms.